THE BRONX - A local group is looking to refurbish a former substance abuse treatment facility that residents say has since become an eyesore in the community.

Mychal Johnson is a member of South Bronx Unite, an advocacy group looking to turn the 48,000 square-foot property into a hub for health, education and arts.

"We want to make sure this community keeps this structure as a community center where we can create that holistic approach to health that's also about unemployment, it's about arts, it's about life," Johnson says.

Johnson says the structure has been deteriorating and Mott Haven residents believe the building can serve as a center for job training, culinary arts and music.

He says he first needs commitments to funding from organizations before he submits a proposal to the city.

The owner NYC Health + Hospitals says the company is committed to turning the vacant building into a space that can be used to benefit the needs of the community and intends to solicit input from the public before any decision is made.